Comedy is always a fun way to drive home your point. This YouTube video does just that about education in Britain! You really have to see it, if it wasn't so close to the truth it would be downright hilarious!

For those of you with a slower connection, I suggest letting the video run with the volumne muted and go do a few chores or help someone with their schoolwork. Once it runs through you should be able to view it the next time without it continually stopping.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Comments

Aug. 14, 2008 - WOW!!

Posted by Buckeyeblog

That was SO funny! And...so true, I'm sure.

Oh, if we could only get rid of the NEA that easily!! What a great day that would be!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

- Home Where They Belong

 

Are you following along with Chautona's 56 days of Bootcamp for Mom?  Weeks 1-5 are now up on her blog. If you've been following you are halfway there!  Congratulations!   

If you are just now considering it, or started but fell on the wagon, it isn't too late!   (Well, unless your children are all grown.)  Assuming you still have young children in the home, just go to week one, and read through it, then begin on Monday!  If you already started and became derailed, just resume where you left off.  (That's what I'm doing.)

Click the number to go to the week: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!  Be watching for week 6! 

 

Feel free to nab the button for you blog if you are participating:

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five, Dell writes about home, heart and hearth.

Summer is quickly ending and school is fast approaching, isn't it? (Unless, of course, you live at our house. School has "been in session" for 3 weeks now). I don't know about you, but at the end of each season I'm ready for the next. Although lately I've been kept so busy with school, trying to sell our house (with 5 children that are ALWAYS here!), doing some serious cleaning out of stuff, and the every day things that always happen..... I haven't had time to think about Fall!

At this time of year, many people are beginning to harvest their tomatoes. Tomatoes are native to the highlands South America, namely Peru. And by the 16th century, they were cultivated in many other areas and used in many regional dishes. In the 1540's, the Spanish introduced the tomato to Europe, where it was grown quite well in the Mediterranean climate. By the early 1600's, it was being used in the Spanish cuisine and the earliest found cookbook, dated 1692, in Naples had a few tomato recipes in it. However, in certain areas of Italy, such as Florence, the tomato was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was ever incorporated into the local cuisine, which was around the late 17th or early 18th century. It was still thought, however, that the tomato is a poisonous plant due to it's close relation to the nightshade family (which some are poisonous. Actually, the stems and leaves of the tomato contain poisonous glycoalkaloids, but the fruit is obviously safe).

There has been a long dispute over weather the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Since the tomato is the seed, or ovary, of a flowering plant, by technical terms it is a fruit (as is squash, zucchini, eggplant and cucumbers). But because it is not as sweet as other fruits and it is most commonly used in soups and entrees, rather than desserts, it is considered by most to be a vegetable. In fact, a tariff law passed in In 1887 that imposed a tax on vegetables but not on fruits, caused the tomato's status to become a matter of legal importance. In 1893, the Supreme Court ruled that, based on the popular definition that classifies vegetables by use, declared that the tomato is indeed vegetable due to the fact that they are generally served with dinner and not dessert.

Well, sometimes all those tomatoes just won't ripen on the vine before that first frost comes. And since we all know of ideas of how to use up those juicy red ones, I thought it would be nice to find an interesting recipe that uses up those not-so-juicy green ones.

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at The Days' Dewings

Reason #4,527 why it’s great to homeschool: You can go on vacation anytime you want to! No need to worry if your child will miss school or assignments, no need to worry about the crowds. Right after school starts is the perfect time of year to take advantage of some super deals for a family vacation. While this contest isn’t for a vacation itself (I know, bummer), Beaches Resort s does have a gift pack that will help you get ready to have fun in the sun! They also offer a fabulous discount, check it out: 

 

This WonderFALL fall, when big kids go back to school the little ones rule at Beaches Resorts- the Luxury Included® Family Vacation with locations in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica. Beaches Resorts offers luxurious accommodations, unlimited gourmet dining, land and water sports, everyone’s favorite Sesame Street characters and more!  Your family can enjoy WonderFALL savings with up to 45% off and 2 nights free!  For more about Beaches Resorts WonderFALL Celebration call 1-800-Beaches or visit www.Beaches.com. 

  Now that's

There will be five winners, each to receive a prize pack containing a Beaches Resorts duffel bag, visor, children’s t-shirt, frisbee, and a Sesame Street coffee mug.

You must be at least 18 years old to enter and live in the U.S. You can read full contest rules HERE.

To enter all you need to do is a leave a comment here with either your e-mail address or a link back to your blog where your e-mail address is accessible. I will not be leaving a comment to let you know that you have won so you MUST have your e-mail address at the ready. Please keep your eyes open here to the Porch for the announcement of the contest winners. If your name is on the list but you did not receive an e-mail announcing it, check your SPAM folders. If after one week a winner has not replied to my e-mail, a new winner will be chosen.

This contest will end on Aug. 24^th.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

This week I want to share with you one of the reasons why I believe you should consider distance learning as an alternative to college for your children: so that they won’t have to deal with grouchy, argumentative classmates. Read on…

Watching the Olympics on TV this week has brought back to my mind a certain homework assignment I was once given in college. When I was attending community college after I graduated from homeschooling in high school, I had to take an English 101B class. For one of our assignments, we had to analyze some cartoon drawings about the future summer Olympic Games to be held in Beijing. 

One of the drawings I had to analyze made fun of the strictly communist government in China. In my written analysis – which the whole class got to read – I made a comment about how I thought the cartoon was funny. I’ll never forget – there was an older (than me) married woman who was also a student in the class. She practically berated me for saying I thought the drawing was funny! In her reply to my analysis she went on and on about how she had visited China herself and thought it was a beautiful country and that I shouldn’t judge them. 

All I could think of was that – hello, the point of the assignment was to analyze what the cartoonist was trying to say! China may indeed have a beautiful landscape; after all, God is an awesome Creator. But the point of the drawing was to make a statement about how ridiculous their government was. And anyway, cartoons are supposed to be funny! 

My point in sharing this story with you is to give you an example of the many mean-spirited people who attend colleges across the country. Do you really want your children to be exposed to them? I don’t think so! 

With distance learning, you can avoid having to deal with argumentative classmates. Do it for your childrens’ protection and sanity. You don’t want them to come home from college with high blood pressure! Praise God for the protection that distance learning offers. I urge you to take advantage of it.

Amanda Suryan is a homeschool graduate and former distance learning student. She has an amazing mini-course about accelerated distance learning called, "Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Becoming a Distance Learner!" To claim your FREE copy, visit: http://www.DistanceLearnerSite.com

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious ointment upon the head....' Psalm 133:1-2

As I lay down for a short afternoon rest for my weary pregnant body I could hear sounds of a scuffle in the hallway. My five and seven year old boys were going at it again. It seemed that the slightest provocation ended in blows with these two lately. I prayed for patience for myself and wisdom in how to reach the hearts of these little brawlers.

Many of us struggle with fighting children at times, and unfortunately we sometimes join in the fighting ourselves, with spouses, other Christians and extended family. Where do these wars come from? James says in Chapter 4 that wars and fightings come from lusts, or in modern English, desires that fight in ourselves. I can certainly see that in my own children. One is whistling so the other one gets angry and asks him to stop, a clear case of both fighting for their own rights. James solution is this, "God resisteth the proud but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:6-7) Clearly my children are not humble when they are fighting for their rights, and when we as adults impute the most evil intentions onto the actions of our brothers, while believing that all our own actions are right and good, we are acting the same way as selfish little children.

James 3:17 says, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." As we meditate on what the wisdom from above is, and teach it to our children, we are sowing peace and we will reap it in our homes and in our churches.

Jennifer Pepito-TOS Chapel Editor

This wonderful moisturizing body scrub will work with items you probably already have.   

SUPPLIES:

2 cups salt (regular table salt)

1 cup baby oil (or other body oil you already own)

 Put one cup of the salt into a mixing bowl and add the cup of oil.

 Stir well.

 Add the last cup of salt and stir until combined.

 To use on your hands, add a small amount (about a spoonful) into the palm of one hand and smear and scrub all over both hands.  Rinse off in warm water.  If you want to do a full body scrub, then smear and scrub it all over your body and rinse in the shower when you are ready.  You will feel and smell just glorious!!  This can also be stored in the Scrap Paper Jar you made with me last week. 

I'm Dianna, and I love doing projects with items I already have laying around the house.  Once I use all this batch up then I'll try it with some of the other scented body oils I have.  I tried it out last evening, and I recommend standing in the tub or shower when applying it as the salt will sometimes drop to the floor and this step will help eliminate any mess.

Remember when you had your baby's schedule down pat:  knew when he or she'd be ready for a bottle, then a nap, etc.? Just when you started getting comfortable, feeling like you knew what to expect and this parenting thing wasn't so hard, they'd change. Either they'd stop taking a nap at a certain time or need more to eat. Whatever the change was, you had to scramble to figure out how to "go with the flow" and then again, you'd get comfortable and they'd change their ways!

Life is all about "New Normals." We just have to get used to them and learn how to go with the flow.

A new homeschool year is approaching. I know of at least one HOO'er who has had a new baby this year, so her new normal will be to figure out how to homeschool along with having a baby in arms. Others are in the same boat, whether their baby is now ready to start with more formal learning activities or if they are graduating that baby. For many others, this coming school year is their first to homeschool. What challenges they have to look forward! We all have to go with the flow and get used to a "new normal."

My New Normal this year is having my mom living under our roof. I knew when we picked her up from the airport on June 3rd that this wasn't "just a visit" and somehow knowing that has helped with the transition. We all four went shopping earlier this week and I thought it interesting... my mom and I following after my husband. Boy, what a new normal, he's experiencing! At the same timne we're getting used to having Mom here, my son is finishing up his senior year of homeschooling. (He's still has 3 months to go.) I'm not quite yet ready to start looking ahead to next year and all that we'll need to attend to, getting him ready for whatever college or career he chooses to pursue (after spending a few months "off" from all academics). Next year will be a whole other "new normal" and it's best not to borrow trouble from tomorrow. If we spend all our energy worrying about tomorrow (or yesterday, for that matter), it's not going to change anything. (Matthew 6:34)

So how does one "go with the flow" and not worry about tomorrow?

It's taking each day... each moment, really, and walking it out step-by-step. It's starting your day with the Lord, seeking His face and His grace to get your through. It's focusing on the N--O--W, enjoying, dealing, enduring, or just being in the moment, praying always (Luke 21:36) and giving thanks always (Eph. 5:20). We take each thought captive and renew our mind and our thoughts with His Word. We stop and deliberately take control of our thoughts and of our actions. We may make plans, as we ought to, but we need to be very aware that tomorrow is not ours. We do not own it; we do not know what it holds, as both James 4:13-15 and Luke 12:16-21 show us.

As you prepare for your new homeschooling year, remember to go with the flow and that once you get comfortable at one stage with your child, another is waiting in the wings--life is all about change. Keep your focus on the Lord. Embrace your NOW; remember that today's normal may not be tomorrow's; and know that the Lord holds you in His Hand. He knows the big picture; He knows what your New Normal tomorrow will be and He will be there. He is trustworthy.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

When I first found HSB I did a little Random Blogging. It's a fun way to get to meet different bloggers. Of course at that time there was nowhere near the number of blogs that we have now, but while there were few blogs, they were great blogs!

One of the first bloggers I met was cappuccinosmom of The Cappuccino Life. I enjoyed her sense of humor, her simple life, and her darling little boys!

If you've ever been the subject of a fertility lecture by a complete stranger then you will certainly sympathize with this post - My Run-in With the Fertility Vice Squad. Then read the follow up post for a thoughtful conclusion - Re-thinking the grocery store incident.

So why is a good attitude so important? I can so relate to cappuccinosmom's answer! Oh the blessings I have received when I have a good attitude and the horror of realizing the blessings I have missed because of a bad attitude.

Ever afraid that you can't homeschool? I think we all have academic nighmares, but I don't think I've ever had one so vivid as teaching my child obstetrics! (Is it wrong to laugh at someone's nightmare?)

Cappucinosmom doesn't have any categories I can link you up to, her blog sidebar is as simple going as she is, but be sure to check out the archives! There are some absolutely fun posts there along with some other thought provoking posts. Don't forget to leave her a comment to let her know you stopped by! She's friendly and doesn't bite.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB 

www.flipfloplearning.com

This week's column is for those of us who have done this homeschooling through high school before. Sometimes when you have done an activity many times before, you have a tendency to get careless; to think that you are so good at what you do, that there is no need for caution or introspection. I was reminded of that just recently.

A week ago today, I was riding my horse down at the arena. I decided to take a shortcut in getting off my horse. I tried to dismount from my horse onto the fence instead of getting down on the ground and THEN going over to sit on the fence. That shortcut and careless, cocky spirit, ended up with me falling and dislocating and fracturing my shoulder. I KNEW better than to try what I tried....but I was tired and I wanted off in a hurry. Now, I'm paying the price for that carelessness.

Sometimes, I have found myself doing the same thing with homeschooling. I assume with my younger kids that I have taught them and instructed them in all the ways that I instructed my older kids and so I become careless and begin to cut corners. In fact, while my father in law was here a few weeks ago, he gently reminded my husband and I that we were leaving out some important areas of instruction with my youngest son. I hadn't even realized it. I had just ASSUMED that I was doing what I was supposed to do. However, I can't afford to become careless. Consistency and diligence must characterize my approach to homeschooling from beginning to end.

So, for all of us who have "been there and done that" with regards to homeschooling through high school, let's be sure that we pay attention to those details and that we ALWAYS bring our plans before God for his guidance and wisdom. We can't afford to "go it on our own." God is the beginning and ending of all of our decisions and of all our paths.

Faith and Courage,

 Lori

Lori is married to the love of her life John and together they have four sons ranging in age from 22 down to 10. She is the author of “Beginning With The End In Mind”, a frequent speaker on home education, family and the arts, as well as serving as the Executive Director of Artios Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts Fine Arts. You can see some of the pictures of their home in the central Colorado Rockies by visiting Lori’s website at www.theendinmind.net where you will receive encouragement for the journey. You can also listen to Lori's podcasts by visiting www.blogtalkradio.com/theendinmind

“To accumulate knowledge was good and beautiful, but the reason for men to acquire it would have been more meaningful, and no one spoke of that.” – Jacques Lusseyran commenting on his school experience in his autobiography, And Then There Was Light

 

How many times have you heard someone say that as long as their students or children know where to find information, they’re not concerned with them having a bunch of facts stored up in their brains?

 

Need to know the 18^th president of the U.S.? Look it up. The chemical formula for salt? Look it up. The fourth amendment to the Constitution, the capital of Utah, the names of the allied countries during World War II, how to figure the circumference of a circle, the meaning of laissez-faire, the definition of inflation? Look it up, look it up, look it up.

 

The problem with maintaining so much empty brain space is that you end up with no tools with which to think. It takes a lot of knowledge, including “facts and figures,” to think – that is to reason and judge and gain wisdom and understanding.

 

By way of example, the typical homeschooler would never apply the “as long as they know where to look it up” philosophy to the study of the Bible: “As long as my child knows how to use a concordance, I’m not worried about how many biblical facts he has stored up in his brain.” The child who knows not only the stories of the Bible but can turn to them instantly, who knows the order of the books of the Bible and endless facts about them, who has committed to memory a host of verses, is a child well-equipped to think rightly about his faith and about how he ought to live. He is the child prepared, when the occasion demands it, to apply his brain to difficulties, to make connections, to lead and not to follow.

 

The same applies to general knowledge. Look around. Those who know the most, who have the best vocabularies, who have accumulated the most “facts,” tend to be the best thinkers – and the leaders. The rest follow.

 

Here’s the hitch, though – knowledge must be whole. Knowledge out of context is merely information. You may be able to spout off the main provisions of the Monroe Doctrine, because you learned them in school and had to know them for a test, but unless you understand the meaning of the doctrine within the context of its times and history, you don’t have much to work with.

 

There’s a reason to accumulate knowledge – in order to think more clearly, more deeply, more rightly. Contextual knowledge is the main tool for doing this. It’s not the only tool, but without it, we are intellectually weak – and practically, morally and spiritually vulnerable.

 

Tammy Drennan has homeschooled and helped others start homeschooling for 23 years. Her web sites and blogs include: www.homeschoolstarter.com and www.educationconversation.wordpress.com.

- Home Where They Belong

Are you a gazer?

Do you oooh and aaah over pictures of beautifully decorated homes?  Do you pour over homeschool catalogs?  Do you crane your neck at gardens as you drive through town, wondering what would work in your own yard?  Or do window shop (online or through virtual windows) and put outfits together--even outfits you know you'll never be able to buy?

Some gaze.  Some don't.  (Shhh!  I'll confess, I'm a gazer!)

I happened upon a blog this week, called the Inspired Room.  Melissa wrote an entry that summarizes why I gaze.  (Here's a short excerpt, please hop over   to read more!)

"WHY I STUDY BEAUTIFUL ROOMS:

I choose to study certain types of beautiful photos because they inspire me. I learn a lot from observation of details. While on the surface you may think, yeah, looking at beautiful photos inspires me to want something I cannot have! But I think there is value in studying something that is well done but not OVER done. You can absorb an ability to replicate beauty and ideas (on any budget) by studying the right kind of images.

Having an eye for beauty doesn’t mean you are obsessing over material things, or desiring something you cannot have. Obviously we don’t want to make beauty an obsession. Rich or poor, fancy or simple, in every different decorating style, we all have a need to find beauty in our life. " 

I think she's nailed it, in that perspective is everything.  In a rare mood, the curriculum catalogs or decorating magazines can lead me  to a moment of discontent, but most of the time, they inspire, and bring fresh ideas of how I can use existing resources, and give them a fresh twist.   

For me at least, observing allows me to learn from others experience and see what works for me and what doesn't.  For a more "hands on" learner, it might just be frustrating--seeing things and not being able to jump right in and use them.  I'm not as hands-on.  I tend to  work (very slowly) from theoretical to practical.  It takes a long time for something to nudge me out of a rut. 

Does gazing encourage or discourage you?  Does it make you more content and inspired, or does it lead to discouragement?  Do you need to make more time to gaze or do you fritter more time gazing and need to get on with doing?  I'm a gazer.  I need some time to gaze--although often I do end up spending more gaze time than I should.   

Why do you gaze?  Why do you avoid gazing?  

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five, Dell writes about home, heart and hearth.

This week, let's talk about that summer squash. Since Friday was "Leave Some Squash on You Neighbors Porch" Day and we all have that squash coming out our ears, I think that's pretty good timing.

Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main indigenous plants used for agriculture: corn, beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops.

Summer squashes, including young vegetable marrows ~ such as zucchini, pattypan and yellow crookneck ~ are harvested during the growing season, while the skin is still tender and the fruit relatively small, they are consumed almost immediately and require little or no cooking. Winter squashes ~ such as butternut, hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin ~ are harvested at maturity, generally the end of summer, cured to further harden the skin, and stored in a cool place for eating later. They generally require longer cooking time than summer squashes.
, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit (being the receptacle for the plant's seeds), and not a vegetable.The Days' Dewings

Though considered a vegetable in cooking

Hard as it is to believe, this summer is winding down. The beginning of a new school year is just around the bend. Christmas is only four short months away. Ack! Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. 

I took a trip to the office supply store the other day and got sidetracked browsing through all the new school supplies. Folders, notebooks, pens, post-its, planners … it all inspires the writer in me and brings back happy memories of the days when I was homeschooled myself. 

With the new school year just around the corner, it’s time to get to planning! As you’re gearing up, you may be wondering what to do with your highschoolers. Many parents feel intimidated by higher level courses and are left scratching their heads as to how their teens will be able to learn everything they need to know to prepare for college. 

Today I want to share a nifty resource with you: The Potter’s School. 

The Potter’s School offers live, online courses to homeschooled students from grades 7-12. The types of classes cover a wide range of subjects – practically anything that a student would need or want to take in junior high or high school. Once a student registers and enrolls in a course, their class will “meet” once a week for 90 minutes online via Internet conferencing. During the rest of the week the student will work on the course on their own with their parents’ guidance when needed.  

Both my sisters and I have taken classes from The Potter’s School, and I highly recommend their program. Not only is it a great way to cover higher level subjects in high school, but it’s also a great way to see what an online course is like. Then, if your student wants to pursue college via distance learning, they will have a good idea of what to expect.  

Check out The Potter’s School today. It may just be what you’ve been looking for to give your highschoolers the college preparation they need!

Amanda Suryan is a homeschool graduate and former distance learning student. She has an amazing mini-course about accelerated distance learning called, "Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Becoming a Distance Learner!" To claim your FREE copy, visit: http://www.DistanceLearnerSite.com

Curious about The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine but not quite ready to commit to a subscription without seeing it first? Check it out for FREE! We're so certain you'll love our publication that we'll gladly send a FREE sample to anyone new to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine - we even cover the shipping!

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